Match Summary

England Team

Belarus Team

Match Report by Mike Payne

England closed out their qualifying campaign with an emphatic victory over Belarus at Wembley.  There were some good individual performances and as a team England played solidly and effectively to win their group by six clear points.

The first half began in a perfect way as Shaun Wright-Phillips shot just wide as early as the second minute before England then scored in the fourth minute.  A tremendous through ball by the impressive Gareth Barry sent Gaby Agbonlahor scampering down the left and his low cross into the middle was bundled home by Peter Crouch.  Once again Crouch had scored for England and his record now is becoming exceptional as he rarely fails to find the target when he starts a game, that's six goals in his last six starts.  But Barry was the player missed most by England against Ukraine in the previous game, and here at Wembley he was always intercepting, tackling and using the ball well, giving a masterclass of midfield play.

Actually the goal was not good for the game, or for the neutral spectator, as for most of the first half play became scrappy as England strolled through it in total command.  Belarus were a neat and tidy team and all their players were comfortable in possession.  What they lacked was punch up front and England's defenders had very few alarms.  The only concern was a couple of times when the visitors were in behind Glen Johnson, although to be fair to the Liverpool player, his speed of recovery got him out of trouble on those occasions.

Rio Ferdinand hardly put a foot wrong as he looked determined to answer his critics with a calm and careful performance, and John Terry and Wayne Bridge completed a solid back line.  On 11 minutes Frank Lampard had a free-kick blocked and then three minutes later Crouch should have done better with a header from Lampard's cross.  But the next clear chance fell to Agbonlahor on 21 minutes, after Barry's fine interception and long pass sent the Aston Villa striker away again.  He bore down on goal but goalkeeper Yury Zhevnov did well to block the shot.

Play was confined to the midfield for long spells but an Aaron Lennon quick throw almost set up Johnson although his marauding run ended with a miss-hit shot wide of goal.  It was Barry, again, who made an important interception when Vitaly Kutuzov almost broke through and it was not until the 37^th minute that Belarus had a shot on target, Sergei Omelyanchuk low drive being well held by Ben Foster.  The half ended when a fine move involving Johnson and Lennon, gave Crouch a chance but unfortunately the latter could not direct his header on target.

The second half began with the match needing a lift and four minutes after the restart Lampard's free-kick was tipped over by Zhevnov.  But the game was in danger of drifting, until that is a certain David Beckham was introduced to the action.  He replaced Lennon on 58 minutes and his first kick created a goal.  He took a corner short to Wright-Phillips, who cut inside and hit a low shot past the keeper.  Talk about an impact substitution!  Despite the weird beard sported by the LA Galaxy player, the class of one of England's finest players was soon in evidence as he sprayed some trademark passes around the pitch.  This was the lift England needed and they improved even more as the game went on.

However, on 64 minutes goalkeeper Foster had his big moment with a stunning save from Omelyanchuk's fierce shot on the run.  It was an important moment for the young Manchester United stopper and it will do his confidence no harm at all.  That was to prove Belarus' best chance as England took a firm grip in the last fifteen minutes.  Carlton Cole and James Milner came on as substitutes and both made good contributions.  In the 75^th minute England scored again.  Once more it was Barry making the important tackle as he won possession and then sent Cole away down the right.  Cole powered towards goal and hit a fierce shot that the keeper parried, but Crouch, who had a super game, followed up to score from the rebound.

The final excitement came three minutes from the end when fine passing from Beckham, Lampard and Wright-Phillips put Milner in, and after a fine shimmy his shot beat the keeper but came back off the far post.  Seconds later Beckham was in and almost scored his first goal at Wembley, but just dragged his shot a little and it hit the other post as the Belarus goal led a charmed life.

It was a convincing win in the end for England and to win their qualifying group by six clear points says a lot about the campaign they have waged.  All they have to do now is carry that form on in South Africa next year.  Easy Peasy!

Source Notes

BBC Sport
Football.by
FIFA.com
ITV.com/football
Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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CG